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As the Russia–Ukraine war enters its fourth year, peace negotiations have reached a major turning point. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in Lithuania on the 26th that a U.S.-provided security guarantees agreement is “100% ready,” pending signatures from both sides. He said the deal would be submitted to both the U.S. Congress and Ukraine’s parliament for approval once signed, and reaffirmed Kyiv’s goal of formally joining the European Union by 2027, describing EU accession as a form of “economic security guarantee.”

The trilateral talks held in Abu Dhabi are being described as the first significant breakthrough “in a long time.” Close allies of U.S. President Donald Trump — including his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff — held intensive closed-door discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian military representatives. Negotiations have moved beyond political rhetoric into concrete discussions on ceasefire lines and military deployments, signaling a possible de-escalation of the conflict. Russia, however, has maintained a hardline stance, demanding that Kyiv withdraw its forces from Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, while Zelenskyy reiterated that “Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be respected.”

U.S. officials confirmed that negotiators will return to Abu Dhabi on February 1 for the next round of talks, which will include discussions on a “temporary ceasefire prior to the signing of an agreement.” Control and oversight of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain the most contentious issue and a key variable determining whether a final peace deal can be concluded. Zelenskyy acknowledged that fundamental differences persist between the two sides, but said the United States is seeking a compromise, describing the talks as a critical step toward bringing the Russia–Ukraine war to an end.

U.S. federal immigration enforcement officers fatally shot a man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the 24th, marking the second incident in recent days in which a civilian has been killed by law enforcement gunfire in the city. The shooting has sparked strong backlash from state officials and triggered a new wave of protests. The Trump administration is facing mounting pressure over its large-scale immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the man who was shot approached U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) officers while carrying a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and “violently resisted” when officers attempted to disarm him. The victim was identified as 37-year-old Preti, an intensive care unit nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Less than three weeks earlier, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good, a mother of three, during an immigration sweep while she was inside her vehicle. As in the aftermath of Good’s killing, the Trump administration immediately claimed that Preti attempted to harm federal agents and falsely stated that a handgun was found on him.

This marks the second U.S. citizen killed by federal agents, with cellphone footage contradicting the official account of the incident. Reuters verified and reviewed the video, finding that Preti was holding a mobile phone and that no footage shows him brandishing a firearm. After chemical irritants were sprayed into Preti’s face and he was forced to the ground, federal agents fired approximately 10 shots at him. Preti never drew a weapon.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the shooting as abnormal and shocking, calling for a state-led investigation. Preti’s parents issued a statement on the 24th accusing the government of spreading “disgusting lies” about their son.

Walz said that Preti was someone who dedicated his work to caring for veterans — a valued colleague who lived fully in the state, whether enjoying outdoor activities or exercising his First Amendment rights by witnessing what ICE was doing in Minnesota. As stark discrepancies emerged between the official account and the video evidence, residents braved freezing temperatures to protest in the streets, demanding justice for Preti. Officials, however, stressed that enforcement operations would continue uninterrupted, creating a sharp contrast with the growing public outrage.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 23 (local time) — Despite strong warnings and possible consequences from the U.S. government, two leaders of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council have insisted they will press ahead with plans to remove Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, refusing to back down and further escalating the country’s political tensions.

The Transitional Presidential Council, Haiti’s current highest executive authority, was established in 2024 to oversee the restoration of order after years of armed gang violence and to guide the country back to democratic elections. The council said it appointed Fils-Aimé as prime minister in November 2024 but now believes it has the authority to initiate new appointments, including a new prime minister, a new government, and eventually a new president.

The council’s rotating chair, Leslie Voltaire, stressed at a press conference that the body has the legal mandate to take such action and will not be swayed by external pressure.

According to reports, five council members have signed a resolution supporting Fils-Aimé’s removal and plan to complete the process within 30 days. However, the decision will only take legal effect once it is published in the official government gazette.

The United States announced today that it has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO). Observers warn that the U.S. withdrawal could have repercussions for both the United States and the global community. With the U.S. exit, the WHO has fallen into the most severe budget and staffing crisis in its history.

In a joint statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the withdrawal was carried out in accordance with an executive order signed by President Trump on his first day in office. The statement accused the WHO of failing in its duties during the COVID-19 pandemic and of obstructing the timely sharing of critical information that could have saved American lives. Despite the United States being a founding member and the WHO’s largest financial contributor, the organization was said to be pursuing a politicized and bureaucratic agenda driven by countries hostile to U.S. interests. The United States has halted funding for all WHO initiatives and will no longer second personnel to the organization. The U.S. said it will continue to work with countries and trusted health institutions to share best practices, strengthen preparedness, and protect communities through a more transparent, effective, and results-driven model.

Because U.S. contributions previously accounted for 18 percent of the WHO’s funding, Reuters reported that the withdrawal has triggered a budget crisis at the organization. The WHO has already cut its management team by half and reduced its overall budget; by mid-year, staff numbers are expected to fall by about one quarter. Over the past year, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other global health experts had urged the United States to reconsider before withdrawing. The WHO has also stated that the U.S. owes $260 million in membership dues for 2024 and 2025. A WHO spokesperson told Reuters that the Executive Board will discuss how to handle the U.S. withdrawal in February.

The case concerning the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a street in Nara in 2022 reached a verdict on January 21. The Nara District Court found the defendant, Tetsuya Yamagami, guilty of murder and other charges, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Given that the case involved the assassination of a former prime minister and raised concerns about public security and political violence, the verdict has once again drawn attention both in Japan and internationally.

Prosecutors stated that the crime caused severe shock to society and constituted a grave criminal offense. According to case details compiled by the media, Yamagami’s motive was linked to the Unification Church. He believed that Abe had connections to the church and therefore planned the attack over an extended period. During the trial, issues such as the relationship between the Unification Church and the political world, the influence of religious organizations, and the factors contributing to individual radicalization sparked widespread debate in Japanese society.

Following the verdict, attention has also turned to whether the defendant will file an appeal and to the broader impact of the case on security measures for political activities in Japan. Multiple media outlets have noted that since Abe’s assassination, Japan has heightened security for election campaigns, street speeches, and other public events. Relevant authorities continue to review and strengthen protective procedures in an effort to reduce the risk of attacks on political figures.

According to a report by Japanese media outlet Yomiuri Shimbun, the number of foreign visitors to Japan surpassed the 40-million mark in 2025, reaching approximately 42.7 million arrivals—an increase of 16% from 2024 and a new all-time high.

Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Hiromasa Kaneko, stated at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting on the 20th that the number of inbound foreign visitors in 2025 reached 42.7 million, a significant rise from 36.87 million in 2024. The growth was mainly driven by the weak yen and a strong post-pandemic recovery in tourism demand. In terms of economic impact, total spending by inbound tourists in 2025 amounted to about ¥9.5 trillion (approximately NT$1.9 trillion), up 17% year on year, marking a record high for the third consecutive year.

In terms of the composition of inbound visitors, the Chinese market—accounting for more than 20% of total arrivals—has been a key driver of growth. However, after the Chinese government called on its citizens from November 2025 to reduce travel to Japan, the number of Chinese visitors in December plunged 45% compared with the same period a year earlier, falling to around 330,000. This marked the first time in nearly four years that the number of Chinese visitors to Japan declined year on year.

With the Lunar New Year holiday in China approaching in February, the sharp drop in Chinese visitor numbers has sparked serious concern within Japan’s tourism industry over lost holiday business opportunities. In response, Kaneko emphasized that the Japanese government will not only work to diversify its sources of international visitors, but will also make efforts to encourage the early return of Chinese tourists.

H.E. Dame Cynthia A. Pratt, Governor-General of The Bahamas, receives the FOWPAL Peace Bell Award in recognition of her distinguished service and enduring dedication to national unity, public welfare, and civic engagement.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of the Trump administration’s use of the 1977 “International Emergency Economic Powers Act” (IEEPA) to impose global reciprocal tariffs. Although the outcome of the judicial review has not yet been announced, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in an interview with “The New York Times” that even if the Court ultimately finds the current tariff measures unlawful, the administration has long prepared contingency plans. He stressed that alternative measures would be launched “immediately the next day” after the ruling, reimposing tariffs under other legal authorities to ensure that President Trump’s trade policy objectives continue to move forward.

At the heart of the judicial review is whether Trump can bypass Congress and unilaterally invoke the emergency powers granted by IEEPA to levy broad-based tariffs on global trading partners. The Supreme Court is expected to issue its decision as early as January 20. Greer emphasized that multiple legal options have already been presented to Trump precisely to prevent trade policy from being disrupted by a court ruling. Even if the Supreme Court rejects the current legal basis, the White House could quickly pivot to other relevant statutes, such as the Trade Act, to maintain similar tariff pressure worldwide and ensure policy continuity.

The direction of U.S. tariff policy has direct implications for Taiwan’s export-oriented industries, particularly core supply chains such as semiconductors, electronics, and manufacturing. While markets had initially expected the judicial ruling to clearly delineate the limits of U.S. trade authority, the White House’s display of determination that “tariffs will not be withdrawn” means companies and investors must be prepared for scenarios in which policy could “switch rapidly” at any time. Although the Supreme Court released three rulings on the 20th (local time), none addressed Trump’s invocation of IEEPA. The final outcome of this legal battle remains under close scrutiny, and signals from Washington suggest that global trade tensions are unlikely to subside in the near term, requiring affected supply chains to make advance preparations.

A major railway accident occurred on the evening of the 18th in Adamuz, southern Spain, when an Iryo high-speed train (No. 6189) traveling north from Malaga to Madrid derailed, crossed onto the opposite track, and collided head-on with a southbound Renfe train bound for Huelva. Both trains derailed as a result of the crash. According to police, the death toll has risen to 39, with 152 people injured. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on social media platform X that it was “a heartbreaking night.”

At the time of the accident, the Renfe train was traveling at about 200 kilometers per hour, while the speed of the Iryo train remains unknown. The Iryo train was carrying more than 300 passengers, while the Renfe train had around 100 on board, most of them Spaniards returning home after the weekend. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the section of track had been renovated as recently as May last year, adding that a derailment on a straight stretch of track was “extremely rare.” He noted that most of the casualties were in the first two carriages of the Renfe train, which were thrown down an embankment after the collision, resulting in heavy losses.

The impact of the accident was widespread, with more than 200 train services between Madrid and the Andalusia region canceled, affecting major cities including Córdoba, Seville, and Granada. Authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Sánchez said the entire nation stands with the families of the victims and the injured during this difficult time, and called for unity in the face of the tragedy.

Anti-government protests continue to escalate across Iran, driving international tensions to a boiling point. U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 17th that Iran should put an end to the 37-year rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and seek “new leadership” to achieve regime change.

Protests erupted across Iran late last month over severe economic hardship and have since evolved into large-scale anti-government demonstrations. Protesters are demanding an end to the current regime, while authorities have deployed security forces and opened fire on demonstrators. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), verified data show that 3,090 people have been killed, including 2,885 protesters, and more than 22,000 people have been arrested.

Although the United States has temporarily refrained from launching military strikes against Iran, tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high. Trump further lashed out at Khamenei, calling him a “sick person” who should govern his country properly and stop killing his own people. Trump said true leadership is about earning respect, not consolidating power through violence and the killing of citizens. He added that due to disastrous leadership, Iran has become one of the worst places in the world to live.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro went even further, predicting that Trump could order a “decapitation strike” against Supreme Leader Khamenei in the coming days. Shapiro noted that U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are set to deploy to the Middle East, and argued that Trump’s increasingly hardline stance toward the Iranian regime, combined with Khamenei’s provocative rhetoric on social media, points to the possibility that Washington may resort to extreme measures.

While Trump has confirmed that his national security team has presented him with a range of hardline policy options, including military ones, he has yet to publicly confirm whether he has signed a specific order to assassinate Khamenei. Nevertheless, Trump has already canceled all planned contacts with Iranian officials, making Washington’s strategy of using military pressure to force political change increasingly clear.

Shapiro stressed that even if Khamenei were removed, regime change in Iran would not occur immediately, and that genuine political transformation must ultimately be driven by the Iranian people themselves.